Tire



J. WALLACE.

TIRE.

APPLlCATlN FILED APR. 8 1920.`

` 1,409,253 Patented Mar. 14,1922.

JOHN B. WALLACE, OF MUKAWONAGO, WSCONSIN.

TIRE.

Application filed April 8, 1920.

Be it known that I, J oHN B. WALLACE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Mulrwonago, in the county of Waukesha and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tires, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of my specification. My invention relates to a rubber tire for automobiles and trucks, which will possess great resiliency and absorb the shocks and vibrations encountered, while at the same time eliminating the weakness inherent in pneumatic tires and the annoyances resulting from their use.

The object of my invention is to provide a tire which eliminates the use of an air chamber or casing, by employing a solid rubber tread member, in con'unction with a second member or cushion o soft, live rubber, which is substantially semi-fluid in action; the tread member and cushion member being` so formed and related that the shocks encountered by the tire are primarily absorbedv through the distortion of-portions of both members and ultimately by the spreading of both members; the construction thus at the same time obviating the use of springs;

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction which may be readily applied to the felly of a wheel without necessitating any change in the general wheel construction; the purposes and advantages of the invention being readily comprehended from the following description of the drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of one form of my improved tire shown applied to the felly of a wheel.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a segment of a wheel provided with my improved tire as disclosed in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view. of a segment of the tread member of my improved tire.

Figure 4 Ais a perspective view of a segment of one of the metallic members or rims.

Figure 5-is a detail view, in perspective, of asecond or intermediate metallic member or rim. i

' Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portion ofthe resilient inner member or cushion.

Figure 7 is a similar view of a modified form of resilient inner member or cushion.

Speeication of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

Serial No. 372,173. y

wheel in any suitable manner; the two channel members 10, 10 being maintained in spaced relation by an intermediate metallic member or rim 12 which may be secured to the felly in any suitable manner before the second channel member or rim 10 is put into place.

The channel members or rims 10,10, which are alike in construction, are preferably each provided with one side wall 13 of less height than the other side wall 14, as more clearly shown in Figure 4; the high side wall 14 being intended to be located on the outside of the tire as shown in Figure 1, so as to have the walls 14 of both channel members 10 somewhat overlap the sides of the tread member 15.

The tread member 15 is composed of solid rubber of any desired thickness, moulded or formed with a projecting lip or flange 16 on the lower surface -of the tread member, preferably at the point centrally between the sidesl and of depth preferably somewhat greaterA than the height of the smaller side walls 13 of the channel members 10, 10, and yet at the same time of such depth as not to contact with the intermediate rim 12, butV to normally leave a space as at 17 in Figure l.

The tread member 15 is preferably provided on its outer surface with grooves` disposed circumferentially and transversely of the tread member as shown at 18 and 19 in Figure 3; the various grooves being of depth sufficient to permit local distortion of the tread when subjected to impacts of sufficient force.

The channel members 10 are each provided with a yielding element or cushion 20, composed of live, comparatively soft rubber, moulded or vulcanized into continuous bands, of such width as to form firm contact with the side walls of the channel when they are stretched or forced into the channels or flanged rim members 10. The cushion members 20 preferably have their inner and outer lperipheries luted circumferentiall-y so as to provide a lurality of circumferentially extending ri s 21, inverted V-shape in crosssection as shown in Figures l and 6; with the ribs on the outer periphery arranged in off-set relation with. the ribs on the inner periphery; that is, with the apices of the ribs 21 on the outer periphery of the cushion member disposed in circumferential alignment `with the centers or apices of the grooves intermediate of the ribs 21 on the inner periphery of the cushion member 20. f It is apparent that with this arrangement or formation of the cushion members 20, a considerable local displacement or distortion of different portions of the cushion may Ytake place and therefore enable a considerable absorption of ,the impacts or blows to be effected.

V.iIn practice, one channel member 10 is pressed or Yotherwise suitably secured in place on the perimeterof the felly 11 adjacent one side thereof, with the side wall 14 disposed to the` outside, and the band of soft, live rubber orfcushion 20 placed therein by stretching or forcing it over the short side wall 13; After the one channel 10 has been put into place, the flat ring or metal band 12 is then secured in place substantially at the circumferential center of the felly as shown in Figure 41; after which the y tread member 15 'is put into place, with its base resting on the tips or apices of the ribs Y 21 of cushion member 20; the cushion members being of Ysuch thickness as to normally extend above the inner or short side walls 13 of the channel members 10, as shown in Y Figure 1';l The tread member 15 is placed against the `side-wall 14 of the channel mem-` ber; while itsvcircumferential rib 16 is normally in spaced relation with theiat ring orv rim r`12. With one channel 10, containing 'it'scushion member 20, flat vrim 12 and the tread'member l'having been put into place, the second channel 10 with its cushion member 2O is then insertedl into place and secured to the felly so as to have the large side wall 14 arranged on the outside in lapping relation with the side of the tread member 15.

As is apparent from the construction shownand described, the impacts or shocks to which the tire is subjected will be primarilyabsorbed` bythe flexing or distortion of the interstitial surfaces lwith `which the tread member 15 and the cushion mem-V bers 20, 20 are provided, while the heavier impacts will be further absorbed by the distortion of all of the elements or resilient 'members thereby providing a very resilient tire;VV while overloads will result in the pro? jecting lip' or flange 16 on the. bottom of the tread to become seated on'the rim 12, at which time a substantially solid tire is produced adapted to withstand the yexces-V sive loads or strains.

inaugure 'r'ifshow amodifiea 'ferm-0f Y cushionmember 22, which consists of a strip orv band of softL live rubber of substantial lthickness and width towadapt` it tojfit into thefchannel members 10.` The cushion member 22 differs merely from the cushl tread member being Vion membersV 20, in that instead of being provided with the fluted or corrugated surfaces 21, it is made foraminousythat is to 'l say, the interstitial surfacesareprovided by the perforations 23, which permit considera- -bly Aflexing ofthe cushion member 22 by 1 Atire, comprising an annular channel portion, a pair of inner cushion members of soft live rubber disposed circumferen-V tially within the channel portion, said mem-iY v bei's being provided with interstitial surfaces adapted to permit local displacement,

and a continuous tread member of resilient material seated' on" said` cushion V,members and provided on its inner periphery with a rib` disposed between' the pairfof cushion members. y

2. A tire, comprising a pair ofrannular channels adapted to vbe secured on the felly of a wheel, a spacing ring secured to the felly intermediate of, the channels, a cushion member of soft live rubber seated in eachVV Y channel infirm `relation withlthe'side walls thereof and provided with interstitial surfaces adapted. to permit displacement of the material, and a treadanember seated on both channels .and provided with a rib disposed between the two channels andsaid cushion members. i

3.41 tire, comprising anl annular channel portion, a pair of cushion members ofsoft live rubber disposed circumferentially within the channel portion and providedr with interstitial surfaces adapted to permit displacement of the material, and a continuous tread member of resilient*materialV seated on said cushion members and'provided with a p rib disposed between the cushion members but normally out ofcontact Awith the bottomV of the channel portion, said` provided with Yan interstitial surface. Y Y 'f 4. A tire, comprising a pair of annular channelsadapted to be secured, side by side, on the felly of arwheel, the innerside walls of both channels being of. less height than thel outer sidewallsthereof, a spacing ring secured to the felly intermediate 'of wthe channels, a cushion Jmemberof soft flive rubber seated in each channel and provided with a series of circumferential ribs Vadapted to extend above the inner. sidewalls of the channels, and a tread member of Vresilient material and of width substantially equal the sides of the tread-member, with the rib to that of the felly so as to be disposed extending between the side Walls of the two across the ribs of both cushion members and channels.

to rest thereon within the outer Side walls JOHN B. VALLACE. of both channels, said tread member being `Witnesses:' provided with a continuous rib disposed on G. HEIDMAN,

the inner circumference centrally between F. A. FLORELL. 

